The Ethics Podcast · Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

1

Moderation (6:6:17)

Nov 26, 2025

43:13

Our resources are finite. We must engage in trade-offs, deciding what pursuits to prioritize over others. This, of course, is all well known. But it’s more complicated: by design, we feel drawn to seek out and pursue goals that are potentially harmful and that can overtake your life. Balance is key. This Ethics Podcast was […]

2

48 Ways to Wisdom: Mishnah (6:6:15)

Nov 21, 2025

24:39

The oral Torah is vast, comprehensive, and multi-layered. One of its layers is known as Mishnah. What is Mishnah, how was it organized and codified, and why does it prepare us for wisdom? In this Ethics Podcast we learn all about Mishnah and it’s indispensability and power. This Ethics Podcast was originally released on the […]

3

48 Ways to Wisdom #12: Engaging Students (6:6:12)

Nov 14, 2025

20:12

One of the most rewarding things a person can do is to teach others. But beyond the feeling of gratification that comes with teaching, When you are able to educate and enlighten other people with your knowledge, you learn a lot from the process. Teaching others is a fantastic way to study yourself. This Ethics […]

4

48 Ways to Wisdom – #10: Apprenticeship (6:6:10)

Nov 10, 2025

33:00

Our glorious tradition was perpetuated from generation to generation, from teacher to student, from parent to child, for thousands of years. One of the ways to acquire wisdom is by studying under the tutelage of a great Sage. This Ethics Podcast was originally released on the Ethics Podcast on Jan 8, 2023 – – – […]

5

48 Ways to Wisdom – #9: Purity (6:6:9)

Nov 7, 2025

25:16

Our sages tell us that one of the ways to acquire wisdom is with purity. What exactly is purity and why would it be a means through which we can acquire wisdom? In this Ethics Podcast we explore the subject of purity with profound depth. This Ethics Podcast was originally released on the Ethics Podcast […]

6

48 Ways to Wisdom – #7: Humility (6:6:7)

Oct 29, 2025

16:55

Humility is one of the attributes most associated with acquisition of wisdom. Moses was the humblest of men. Sinai was an unassuming, lowly mountain. But what exactly is humility and why does it correlate with wisdom? In this Ethics podcast we plumb the depths of humility and its association with wisdom. This Ethics Podcast was […]

7

48 Ways to Wisdom – #6: Fear (6:6:6)

Oct 27, 2025

26:09

Fear of Heaven is – together with Love of God – one of the two pillars of our spiritual life. Fear of God is one of the central themes of our spiritual and religious life. We are also told that it is a necessary precondition for Torah mastery. This Ethics Podcast was originally released on […]

8

48 Ways to Wisdom – #5: Awe (6:6:5)

Oct 24, 2025

35:06

The next way to acquire Torah is with awe. Specifically, awe for a great Torah sage. Why would a Sage inspire awe? Why would this be a method to acquire Torah? In this fascinating episode we explore the wonderful world of awe-inspiring Torah Sages. This Ethics Podcast was originally released on the Ethics Podcast on […]

9

48 Ways to Wisdom – #3: Articulate (6:6:3)

Sep 29, 2025

14:03

The mouth is our superpower. Through it we convey ideas and articulate thoughts. The third way to wisdom is to arrange our lips. This entails using our mouth in a powerful and strategic fashion. This Ethics Podcast was originally released on the Ethics Podcast on Jun 13, 2022 – – – – – – – […]

10

48 Ways to Wisdom – #2: Listen (6:6:2)

Sep 26, 2025

26:49

The second way to wisdom is to listen with your ears. In this podcast you will learn about the power of learning via listening. Audio learning is more impactful than visual learning. The Almighty gave us two ears and only one mouth; we have to listen twice as much as we talk. This Ethics Podcast […]

11

Honor Thy Spiritual Father and Mother (6:3)

Sep 15, 2025

40:02

Torah study is the greatest of pursuits. Consequently, you are eternally indebted to anyone who bestows upon you Torah. In this fascinating Mishnah, we learned about the supreme holiness of Torah and how is forever alters the one who studies it. This Ethics Podcast was originally released on the Ethics Podcast on Feb 28, 2022 […]

12

Peasant to Prince (6:2)

Sep 12, 2025

45:44

Studying Torah is the greatest Mitzvah. That is well-known. In this Mishnah, we learn about the perils of neglecting Torah study. Along the way we discover the polarity Jews since Sinai, we discover the secret of Jewish continuity, and we learn all about what Torah is supposed to do to us. This Ethics Podcast was […]

13

Super-Fusion (6:1)

Sep 10, 2025

1:01:46

What does Torah study do for a person? As an outsider, it looks like a waste of time. What benefit do you gain from studying ancient Jewish wisdom and law? We know, however, the Torah is Godly wisdom. Absorbing Torah upgrades your intellect from human intellect to divine intellect. In this very special Mishnah we […]

14

Generosity and Miserliness (5:13)

Aug 15, 2025

26:19

In the question of generosity and miserliness, our Mishnah tells us that there are four kinds of people. Interestingly, a group that we would view quite innocuously is labeled as Sodom-like. This Ethics Podcast was originally released on the Ethics Podcast on Aug 11, 2021 – – – – – – – – – – […]

15

Greedy When Others are Fearful (5:2-3)

Jul 23, 2025

36:05

Ten generations elapsed both from Adam to Noah and from Noah to Abraham. The trend over those generations was away from God and into idolatry. At the end of each of these groups of ten generations came a great Tzadik. But Noah and Abraham were different classes of a Tzadik and the results are decidedly […]

16

Nuclear Football (5:1)

Jul 21, 2025

23:25

How important are we? Do we even matter? What difference does it make if I live of die? What difference can one person make in the grand scope of existence? These are tough existential questions that thinking people grapple with. In this thought provoking podcast, we follow the Mishnah in exploring some these advanced questions. […]

17

Aged Wisdom (4:26-7)

Jul 14, 2025

23:10

How do children learn? How does intelligence and wisdom develop? How do people undergo intellectual and spiritual maturation? In this very powerful set of Mishnayos, we learn why young people why young people are not always ready for prime time, and how ruminating over wisdom transforms a person. This Ethics Podcast was originally released on […]

18

Environment Makes the Man (4:18)

Jun 29, 2025

30:23

Rabbi Elazar Ben Aruch was the most promising student of Rabban Yochanan Ben Zakkai. Unfortunately, his potential was not actualized, and in fact he forgot his Torah. In this autobiographical Mishnah, he shares with us the reason why his greatness did not pan out. This Ethics Podcast was originally released on the Ethics Podcast on […]

19

Precise Teaching (4:16)

Jun 20, 2025

43:30

Accidents happen. Generally speaking, the Torah overlooks things that happen unintentionally. If someone accidentally sins, the Almighty forgives him. Yet the Mishnah teaches that an accident in Torah study is tantamount to a willful, negligent blunder. Why are matters of Torah treated so harshly? This Ethics Podcast was originally released on the Ethics Podcast on […]

20

Upgrading Honor (4:15)

Jun 18, 2025

40:50

How ought we treat subordinates, peers, and superiors? In this intriguing Mishnah we learn that we tend to undervalue others and consequently accord them insufficient honor, and must correct that by always upgrading the honor and respect for all of our relationships. This Ethics Podcast was originally released on the Ethics Podcast on May 25, […]

21

An Enduring Union (4:14)

Jun 16, 2025

34:55

The Sages of yore were absolute Torah giants, of course, but many also balanced their scholastic responsibilities with earning a livelihood. Our particular Mishnah is the brainchild of Rabbi Yochanan HaSandler, Rabbi Yochanan the Shoemaker. In this pithy teaching, he differentiates between assemblies convened for the sake of Heaven and those bound for failure. This […]

22

Heavenly Headlines (4:13)

Jun 13, 2025

37:10

What are the consequences of our behavior? What difference does it make if someone does a mitzvah or a sin? In this landmark teaching in Pirkei Avos we learn that our actions truly matter. We have the opportunity to make breaking news in Heaven. What Heavenly Headline will we write? This Ethics Podcast was originally […]

23

Judicial Restraint (4:9-10)

Jun 1, 2025

37:20

Justice is one of the three things that perpetuate the world. But should one strive to be a judge? In this very interesting Mishnah, the brainchild of a fascinating Sage, we discover that a person ought to be highly reticent in avoiding serving as a judge. This Ethics Podcast was originally released on the Ethics […]

24

Honoring Torah (4.8)

May 28, 2025

1:04:41

Rabbi Yose was one of the most important and prolific Jewish figures of the 2nd Century. There are literally hundreds of stories and teachings of his in the Talmud and Midrash, but his tenure coincided with one of the most treacherous times in Jewish history: The Hadrianic persecutions This Ethics Podcast was originally released on […]

25

Sanctification or Vacuum (4:5)

May 21, 2025

20:15

If our life’s mission would be distilled down to one idea it would be Kiddush Hashem (Sanctification of God’s Name). The opposite of Kiddush Hashem is Chilul Hashem (Desecration of God’s Name). Due to the gravity of these concepts, they are treated differently. This Ethics Podcast was originally released on the Ethics Podcast on Dec […]

26

The Critical Hour (4:3)

May 16, 2025

32:14

How valuable is an hour of time? How much of a person’s life can be changed in one hour? In this mishna, Ben Azzai teaches us the power of a single hour. This Ethics Podcast was originally released on the Ethics Podcast on Nov 18, 2019 – – – – – – – – – […]

27

Complex Calculations (3:23)

May 9, 2025

33:43

What is the relationship between Torah and secular disciplines such as astronomy mathematics? In a pithy and cryptic teaching, Rabbi Elazar Chisma – a Sage who excelled in both – offers an insightful perspective. This Ethics Podcast was originally released on the Ethics Podcast on Sep 1, 2019 – – – – – – – […]

28

Preconditions to Torah (3:21-22)

May 7, 2025

31:41

Torah is unlike any other discipline. Every other discipline can be acquired without preconditions; Torah can only be unlocked by someone who has successfully primed himself for that lofty status. In this Mishnah, Rabbi Elazar Ben Azariah instructs us on what is needed before Torah can flourish within us. This Ethics Podcast was originally released […]

29

Hotel Incidentals (3:20)

Apr 30, 2025

30:04

In his fourth and final teaching, Rabbi Akiva shares a powerful and serious parable that is designed to shake us up and take life seriously but also contains the undertones of a very inspirational and comforting message. This Ethics Podcast was originally released on the Ethics Podcast on Jun 16, 2019 – – – – […]

30

World Building (3:18)

Apr 25, 2025

28:49

In an astonishingly profound teaching, Rabbi Akiva informs us of the special role that humans have in completing the objective of the Almighty’s creation; and the amplified role that our nation has in effectuating that; and the tools that we were given to achieve that goal. This Ethics Podcast was originally released on the Ethics […]

31

Greeting Everyone with Joy (3:16)

Apr 18, 2025

59:29

Rabbi Yishmael was the scion of one of the most prestigious families of our nation and a titanic Sage of the Mishnaic Era. In this podcast we share several of the fascinating stories about his fruitful and sometimes tragic life and explore the connection between those episodes and his teaching in Pirkei Avos. This Ethics […]

32

Stairway to Heaven (3:15)

Apr 16, 2025

47:08

Rabbi Elazar from Modi’in shares a list of five very different things that disqualify its doer from Olam Haba. What is the connection between these five things and why would one who does them be locked out of eternity? This Ethics Podcast was originally released on the Ethics Podcast on Apr 3, 2019 – – […]

33

Alcohol in Moderation (3:14)

Apr 11, 2025

58:39

What are we living for? How ought we allocate our time? In this striking teaching we learn the difference between the facilitatory and things which are end goals. This Ethics Podcast was originally released on the Ethics Podcast on Feb 24, 2019 – – – – – – – – – – – – – […]

34

Hens, Goats, and Bears, Oh My! (3:11-13)

Apr 9, 2025

49:14

Rabbi Chanina Ben Dosa was a legendary Sage who lived towards the end of the Second Temple, and the Talmud relates many miraculous and inspirational stories about him. In this podcast we share some of those amazing stories, and connect them to his crucial life-instructional teaching. This Ethics Podcast was originally released on the Ethics […]

35

Torah To-Go (3:10)

Apr 7, 2025

25:28

We put much focus on Torah study and Torah acquisition, and in this mishnah we learn about the other half of Torah greatness: Torah retention, which can only be accomplished by rigorous disciplined review. This Ethics Podcast was originally released on the Ethics Podcast on Jan 27, 2019 – – – – – – – – […]

36

Stockpiling Diamonds (3:9)

Apr 4, 2025

17:18

In an unusually sharp statement, our Sages inform us of the severity of neglecting Torah study. The flip side is also true: Torah study is unfathomably valuable. This Ethics Podcast was originally released on the Ethics Podcast on Jan 20, 2019 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – […]

37

Charity or Piracy (3:8)

Apr 2, 2025

27:01

Why do we give charity? Is there a cap of 20% to how much we can give? In this mishna we learn about a striking rationale for charity, answer these questions, and contrast the two types of givers. This Ethics Podcast was originally released on the Ethics Podcast on Jan 13, 2019 – – – […]

38

Summoning God (3:7)

Mar 31, 2025

21:07

In Jewish literature, Torah is called the Word of God. In this mishna we learn about its ability to bridge the gap between man and his Creator. This Ethics Podcast was originally released on the Ethics Podcast on Jan 7, 2019 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – […]

39

Living on a Supernatural Plane (3:6)

Mar 28, 2025

31:56

What rules govern what happens in our lives? In this mishna we find that there are really three different realms, and that it is possible to upgrade the plane on which we operate. This Ethics Podcast was originally released on the Ethics Podcast on Dec 19, 2018 – – – – – – – – […]

40

Nocturnal Opportunities (3:5)

Mar 26, 2025

17:15

Rabbi Chananya ben Chakhinai says: One who stays awake at night, and one who wanders on a road alone, and turns his heart to idleness, behold he is liable with his life. This Ethics Podcast was originally released on the Ethics Podcast on Nov 25, 2018 – – – – – – – – – […]

41

Paging the Divine Presence (3:3-4)

Mar 24, 2025

24:08

In successive teachings, our Sages share with us a way to usher ourselves into the Presence of the Almighty. It really is that simple. This Ethics Podcast was originally released on the Ethics Podcast on Nov 18, 2018 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – […]

42

Antidotes to Anarchy (3:2)

Mar 21, 2025

16:01

What would happen without a police force to maintain law and order? Is there any other way to prevent society from crumbling without police power? These are the questions we explore in the somewhat unsettling second mishna of chapter 3. This Ethics Podcast was originally released on the Ethics Podcast on Nov 4, 2018 – […]

43

Avoiding Sin: The Authoritative Guide (3:1)

Mar 19, 2025

26:44

It is not often that our Sages offer us any kind of fail-safe formula. In the first mishna of the third chapter, Akaviah Ben Mehalalel provides for us a guaranteed method to avoid sinning. It is a good idea to listen carefully to his words. This Ethics Podcast was originally released on the Ethics Podcast […]

44

Do Your Job (2:20-21)

Mar 17, 2025

25:26

There are many excuses to shirk our spiritual responsibilities. In the final two mishnayos of Chapter 2, Rabbi Tarfon rebuts them one by one. This Ethics Podcast was originally released on the Ethics Podcast on Oct 21, 2018 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – […]

45

Answering the Heretics (2:19)

Mar 14, 2025

21:46

Rabbi Elazar Ben Arach was the prized student of Rabban Yochanan Ben Zakkai, but he chose to chart his own path in life and not to join the rest of his colleagues in Yavneh. This Ethics Podcast was originally released on the Ethics Podcast on Oct 14, 2018 – – – – – – – […]

46

Relationship or Ritual? (2:18)

Mar 12, 2025

18:42

What is the optimal relationship between man and God? How is man supposed to view himself? These questions and several others are addressed in Chapter 2, Mishna 18 of Pirkei Avos. This Ethics Podcast was originally released on the Ethics Podcast on Oct 7, 2018 – – – – – – – – – – […]

47

The Ultimate Meritocracy (2:17) + TORCH 2025 Fundraiser

Mar 10, 2025

21:24

Please support the Ethics Podcast by donating to our annual fundraiser at giveTORCH.org This is our only annual fundraiser. Every donation is DOUBLED! Support the Ethics Podcast by visiting giveTORCH.org right now and making a generous donation! This is the LINK for the Fundraiser. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – […]

48

Choose Your World (2:16) + Annual TORCH Fundraiser

Mar 6, 2025

53:40

Please support the Ethics Podcast by donating to our annual fundraiser at giveTORCH.org This is our only annual fundraiser. Every donation is DOUBLED! Support the Ethics Podcast by visiting giveTORCH.org right now and making a generous donation! This is the LINK for the Fundraiser. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – […]

49

Tempering Temper (2:15)

Feb 28, 2025

52:44

In this Mishna, one of the most fascinating characters of the Mishnaic era teaches eternal lessons on how to deploy anger properly and how to ensure that our spiritual affairs are in order before we meet our Creator. This Ethics Podcast was originally released on the Ethics Podcast on Aug 20, 2018 – – – […]

50

Finding Your Magic Bullet (2:13-14)

Feb 26, 2025

33:17

Two thousand years ago the great Sage Rabban Yochanan Ben Zakkai instructed his five prime disciples to undertake a unique mission. This mission and their discoveries can still offer us life-changing wisdom. This Ethics Podcast was originally released on the Ethics Podcast on Aug 6, 2018 – – – – – – – – – […]

The Ethics Podcast · Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

The Ethics Podcast Â - הרב יעקב וולבה

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